Balancing the Power of Inquiry with the Need for Authenticity and Trust In the dynamic landscape of talent development training and coaching, the use of leading questions can be seen as a way to help the coachee navigate their thoughts and provide a structure for the conversations. However, beneath the surface, a paradox lurks - the potential for these carefully crafted queries to inadvertently stifle conversations and erode the foundation of trust. At ZEN Coaching, we delve

We're always looking to see how the simple view can benefit people at work. Leadership, management and talent development training often involves identifying the focus of the person in front of you to help with influencing them. Here's an example of just that - thinking of those around you as either task or relationship focused can help influence and engage them. Why? Because if you tap in to what they find interesting, what resonates with them, they'll be more likely to list

Happy New Year! I hope you've had a good break and managed to catch up with friends too. Friends of course, we're told, don't make the ideal manager because the relationship can become confused and crucial decisions delayed for fear of damaging the friendship. But what if we could isolate the good bits of being a friend and employ a few of them at work? Might we be able to increase rapport with our team and improve their engagement? Let's take a look at a couple of the skills

"What was it like?" A simple, powerful question that can unlock a conversation in many contexts. Let's take a look at why it's useful and when it can be utilised within Management, Talent and Leadership Development. Why is it useful? Asking this question signals your intent to look deeper into a situation, to understand the person in front of you more fully. It shows your willingness to engage with them and their feelings, not just the actions and circumstances around any par